Best Friends: A Promise, Not a Label

I graduated from high school 14 years ago. Yikes! When I actually see that number, I freak out a little. Anyway, other than for a few hours during my ten-year high school reunion, I haven’t really seen any of my high school girlfriends.

Thanks to Facebook and other social media outlets, we all have a generally decent idea of how many kids everyone has, how often they poop, and what they eat for dinner, so there’s really not a major need to schedule complex get-togethers to catch up anymore. And, let’s face it – Other than for a few select friends, we really don’t give a damn what those people are doing now. If I hated you in high school, I still probably hate you today.

On rare occasions, however, we may share a special connection with one or two of those old school friends. That’s been the case for me, and I was reminded of that connection yesterday.

I got a Facebook message from one of my best girlfriends from high school. The tone of her message was sad, lonely even, and I noticed that it certainly didn’t correspond with her happy, upbeat public statuses and photos. I could tell that she was hurting and that she needed to know that she wasn’t alone in what she’s been going through.

Sadly, she is going through a rough patch in her life, much like the one I went through several years ago. Having never experienced something like this before, it can be extremely overwhelming to have to deal with on your own. I was thankful that, despite the pain I went through, I was able to relate to her situation and give her some words of advice and encouragement.

What amazed me more than being able to relate to what she’s going through, however, was the fact that even though we haven’t seen each other in years and don’t communicate much other than through Facebook, we were able to relate and communicate like we were best friends again. I felt a connection to her that no amount of years of growing up could destroy. For the several minutes we relayed messages back and forth, we were high school best friends again.

Women amaze me. My girlfriends amaze me. Any amount of time can pass, even with little to no interaction between us, and yet we can pick up right where we left off. We can provide strength for each other in such an amazing way, that superfluous words aren’t even needed. We don’t need to apologize for having been crappy friends and losing contact. We don’t need the formalities or pleasantries. We can just TALK and SHARE and VENT! The understanding between women is a bond that will never be broken, regardless of the number of years that have passed or the beat-downs that life has put on us. Friendships (and I mean the genuine ones) between women are unbreakable.

I am so thankful that I was able to connect with this particular girlfriend after so many years, and it was like we had just talked the day before. I have a handful of high school girlfriends whom I feel like I could do this with, and I’m forever grateful for them. They have been blessings to me, and I hope that one day I can return the favor to each of them. I love you, ladies.